Luke 21:4

KJV

For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

KJV (with Strong's)

For {G1063} all {G537} these {G3778} have of {G1537} their {G846} abundance {G4052} cast {G906} in unto {G1519} the offerings {G1435} of God {G2316}: but {G1161} she {G3778}{G846} of {G1537} her {G846} penury {G5303} hath cast {G906} in all {G537} the living {G979} that {G3739} she had {G2192}.

Complete Jewish Bible

For they, out of their wealth, have contributed money they could easily spare; but she, out of her poverty, has given all she had to live on.”

Berean Standard Bible

For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

American Standard Version

for all these did of their superfluity cast in unto the gifts; but she of her want did cast in all the living that she had.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Luke 21:4 encapsulates Jesus' profound teaching on the nature of true generosity, contrasting the substantial contributions of the wealthy, given from their excess, with the sacrificial offering of a destitute widow. This verse reveals that divine valuation of a gift is not based on its monetary amount but on the proportion of the giver's means and the heart of faith and devotion behind the offering, highlighting that the widow's seemingly insignificant act was, in God's eyes, greater than all the others.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse serves as the climactic statement in Jesus' observation of givers at the Temple treasury, immediately following His initial remarks in [Luke 21:1-3](/luke/21-1-3 "Luke 21:1-3 - Jesus Observes Temple Offerings"). The preceding verses set the scene: Jesus is sitting opposite the treasury, watching people deposit their offerings. He specifically notes both the rich casting in large sums and a poor widow contributing two small copper coins (lepta). Verse 4 then provides Jesus' authoritative interpretation of these observations, revealing His unique perspective on true generosity. This teaching precedes Jesus' prophecies about the destruction of the Temple and the signs of the end times, suggesting that spiritual devotion, as exemplified by the widow, is of ultimate importance even amidst impending societal upheaval.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Temple treasury (or "Corban") was a designated area within the Temple courts where Jewish worshippers deposited their monetary offerings. There were thirteen trumpet-shaped chests, each for a specific type of offering (e.g., for wood, incense, sacrifices, or general Temple maintenance). Giving to the Temple was a central act of piety in first-century Judaism, and wealthy individuals often made public, conspicuous donations. Widows, conversely, were among the most vulnerable members of society, often lacking financial security and legal protection. Their "penury" was a stark reality, making the widow's act of giving her "all" an extraordinary demonstration of faith within a society where public displays of wealth were common and often lauded.
* **Key Themes:** The central theme underscored by this verse is **Sacrificial Giving**, where the value of an offering is determined by the heart and proportion, not the absolute amount. The widow's act exemplifies radical generosity, contrasting sharply with the giving of the wealthy who contributed from their surplus. This highlights **God's Perspective on Value**, revealing that divine assessment differs from human estimation; what is small in human eyes can be immense in God's. Her complete surrender also powerfully illustrates **Faith and Trust**, as she gave away her entire means of livelihood, demonstrating an absolute reliance on God for her future provision, echoing the call to [seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness](/matthew/6-33 "Matthew 6:33 - Seek First the Kingdom"). This narrative also subtly critiques **Religious Hypocrisy**, as the rich may have given large sums for public acclaim, whereas the widow's humble act was observed only by Jesus, emphasizing the importance of internal disposition over external show, a theme Jesus often addressed, as seen in [Matthew 6:1-4](/matthew/6-1-4 "Matthew 6:1-4 - Giving to the Needy").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **abundance (Greek, _perisseúō'_):** From G4052, meaning "to superabound (in quantity or quality), be in excess, be superfluous; also (transitively) to cause to superabound or excel." This word emphasizes that the wealthy donors gave from a place of surplus, where their giving did not diminish their standard of living or security. Their offerings, though large in absolute terms, represented only a fraction of their total resources.
* **penury (Greek, _hystérēma'_):** From G5303, meaning "a deficit; specially, poverty; that which is behind, (that which was) lack(-ing), penury, want." This term starkly describes the widow's extreme destitution. It signifies a state of severe lack, where she possessed barely enough, or even less than enough, to sustain herself. Her giving, therefore, was not from a surplus but from a profound deficiency.
* **living (Greek, _bíos'_):** From G979, meaning "life, i.e. (literally) the present state of existence; by implication, the means of livelihood." In this context, "all the living that she had" refers to her entire means of sustenance, her complete livelihood. It implies that she gave away everything necessary for her immediate survival, making her offering an act of total dependence and profound sacrifice.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God:"** This clause refers to the wealthy individuals Jesus observed. Their contributions, while perhaps substantial in monetary value, originated from their "abundance" (G4052, _perisseúō_), signifying that they gave from their surplus. Their giving involved no personal cost or deprivation, as they retained more than enough for their needs.
* **"but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had."** This clause presents the stark contrast. The conjunction "but" (G1161, _dé_) highlights the radical difference. The widow gave "of her penury" (G5303, _hystérēma_), meaning from her extreme poverty or want. Crucially, she "cast in all the living that she had" (G979, _bíos_), indicating that her offering comprised her entire means of livelihood, her very sustenance. This was a gift that cost her everything, demonstrating profound faith and sacrifice.

#### Literary Devices
Luke 21:4 masterfully employs **Contrast** as its primary literary device, setting the wealthy donors against the poor widow. This stark juxtaposition highlights the qualitative difference in their giving, emphasizing that the value of the offering is determined by the giver's heart and proportion, not the absolute amount. The phrase "all these have of their abundance" is contrasted with "she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had," creating a powerful rhetorical effect that underscores Jesus' revolutionary teaching on generosity. Furthermore, the narrative uses **Hyperbole** or perhaps **Understatement** in its description of the widow's offering. While "all the living that she had" might literally mean her last two coins, the implication is that this meager sum represented her entire capacity for survival, making the small amount symbolically immense. This emphasizes the **Symbolism** of the widow's act as a profound demonstration of faith, trust, and complete surrender, making her a paradigm of true devotion.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Luke 21:4 profoundly reshapes our understanding of generosity and divine evaluation. It challenges the human tendency to measure worth by visible magnitude, revealing that God's economy operates on principles of sacrifice, proportion, and heart. The widow's offering, though minuscule by worldly standards, was deemed "more than all" because it represented a total surrender of her security and an absolute trust in God's provision. This narrative teaches that true worship and devotion are expressed not merely in what we give, but in how much it costs us relative to our means, and the spirit of faith with which it is offered. It underscores that God values radical dependence and wholehearted love above outward displays of wealth or piety.

* [2 Corinthians 8:12](/2_corinthians/8-12 "2 Corinthians 8:12 - Willingness to Give")
* [Proverbs 3:9-10](/proverbs/3-9-10 "Proverbs 3:9-10 - Honor the Lord with Your Wealth")
* [Mark 12:41-44](/mark/12-41-44 "Mark 12:41-44 - The Widow's Offering")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The story of the widow's offering in Luke 21:4 serves as a timeless mirror for our own lives, challenging us to re-evaluate our understanding of generosity, sacrifice, and trust. It compels us to look beyond the material value of our contributions—whether financial, temporal, or talent-based—and instead examine the heart and proportion behind them. Are we giving from our abundance, or from a place that truly costs us something, demonstrating genuine faith and dependence on God? The widow's radical act reminds us that God is not impressed by the size of our reserves, but by the depth of our devotion. Her example calls us to trust God with our very livelihood, believing that He is faithful to provide for those who prioritize His kingdom above all else. This isn't a call to reckless abandon, but to a courageous faith that understands true security is found in God, not in our possessions.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life am I holding back, giving only from my "abundance" rather than from a place of genuine sacrifice?**
* **How does my giving—of time, talent, or treasure—reflect my true level of trust in God's provision?**
* **What "two mites" might God be calling me to give, even if it feels insignificant or costly in the eyes of the world?**

### FAQ

**What does "penury" mean in this context?**

Answer: "Penury" (Greek: _hystérēma_, G5303) refers to extreme poverty or severe want. In the context of [Luke 21:4](/luke/21-4 "Luke 21:4 - The Widow's Offering"), it highlights the widow's destitute state, emphasizing that she had very little, if anything, left for her own survival after making her offering. It underscores the immense personal cost of her gift.

**Why was the widow's small offering considered greater than the large sums of the rich?**

Answer: Jesus' assessment was based on the proportion of the gift relative to the giver's means, and the heart behind the offering. The rich gave "of their abundance" (G4052, _perisseúō_), meaning from their surplus, where their giving did not impact their lifestyle. The widow, however, gave "all the living that she had" (G979, _bíos_), her entire livelihood. Her gift represented a complete sacrifice and an act of profound faith and trust in God, whereas the rich gave without personal cost. This principle is echoed in [2 Corinthians 8:12](/2_corinthians/8-12 "2 Corinthians 8:12 - Willingness to Give"), where Paul states that "if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have."

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The widow's offering in [Luke 21:4](/luke/21-4 "Luke 21:4 - The Widow's Offering") serves as a profound foreshadowing and reflection of Christ's ultimate act of sacrificial giving. Just as the widow gave "all the living that she had" out of her utter penury, Jesus, though rich, "became poor for your sake, so that you through his poverty might become rich" as described in [2 Corinthians 8:9](/2_corinthians/8-9 "2 Corinthians 8:9 - Christ's Example of Giving"). He did not give from His abundance, but gave Himself entirely, pouring out His very life on the cross as the ultimate "offering of God" for the redemption of humanity, as highlighted in [Ephesians 5:2](/ephesians/5-2 "Ephesians 5:2 - Christ's Sacrificial Love"). His sacrifice was not merely a portion of His divine glory or power, but the complete surrender of His earthly life and the bearing of the world's sin, demonstrating a love that cost Him everything. The widow's act of faith, trusting God even in destitution, mirrors the call for believers to place their complete trust in Christ's finished work, receiving His abundant grace by faith, and in turn, living lives of sacrificial love and devotion in response to His immeasurable gift, as exemplified in [Romans 12:1](/romans/12-1 "Romans 12:1 - Living Sacrifices").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Acts 2:44

And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Acts 2:45

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all [men], as every man had need.

Luke 15:12

And the younger of them said to [his] father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth [to me]. And he divided unto them [his] living.

Acts 4:34

Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

Luke 8:43

And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,